Not only is cycling good for you and for the environment, it’s also a wonderful way to explore an area, and the Radol’caarea is no exception. In fact, I find it the best way to get around and much prefer two wheels to four! There’s no need to worry about where to park, you are out in the fresh air, and you can see so much more than you do in a car and can stop at your leisure.

So, join me on a bike ride to, and through, Begunje na Gorenjskem to discover some of the sights of the Radol’ca countryside!

I have listed the places below in order so as to suggest a circular ride, however, you can of course pick and choose what to see and do, and the list is by no means exhaustive. Starting from Radovljica head past the Spar supermarket, pass under the motorway then continue to the village of Nova vas.

On reaching the t-junction in Zapuže, turn left then shortly afterwards turn right (there is a bar on the corner) towards Zgoša. On reaching the junction, as seen below, turn left towards Begunje.

Continue towards the village of Begunje, the birthplace of Slavko Avsenik, who, together with his brother Vilko Avsenik, were the founders of Slovenian folk music. You can also visit the Avsenik Museum.

Continue through the village towards the Draga Valley, stopping first to admire and explore the ruins of Kamen Castle (grad Kamen).

Shortly after leaving the castle, there is a small cemetery that contains graves of hostages from the time when Begunje fell under German rule during World War II. You can also make a side trip to visit the Museum of Hostages, housed in Katzenstein Manor.

Now its just a few minutes more to reach the head of the Draga valley and the Gostišče Draga restaurant, which situated next to a stream and makes an ideal place to cool down, rest and/or enjoy some sustenance in the form of a drink, ice-cream, something sweet or some hearty traditional Slovenian food.

You can even stay overnight in one of the newly-renovated rooms and continue your cycling trip the next day! Or stay longer and enjoy the tranquility of the valley, which is also a great place for hiking in the Karavanke mountains.

On the way back, instead of returning the same way, after leaving the valley, you can turn left at the junction just after passing a sawmill. You could also make a detour to visit the Robačnekov mill. It is officially open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 9am-12noon, however, outside of these times if the owner is home, ask nicely and she will be happy to show you round!

Those interested in beekeeping, and even those who think they might not be interested but will likely discover that actually they are(!), can visit Luznar Beekeeping (Čebelarstvo Luznar).

Upon prior arrangement, you can call in to visit Erik at home, where you can purchase his award-winning honey and other honey products, and/or you could arrange to meet him in the Draga valley, where you can get up close to one of his many hives and his amazing new ‘book’ hive, which allows a fascinating, close up, and unique view of Slovenia’s indigenous Carniolan grey bees hard at work. Email cebelarstvo.luznar@gmail.com or call 040 321 556.

Photo: Erik Luznar

Photo: Erik Luznar

You can also visit Begunje and the Draga valley – as well as Erik and his bees(!) – on the Hop-On Hop-On tourist bus, which runs every summer throughout July and August. It’s a great way to discover the villages and countryside of the Radol’ca area. In addition to the ride, there are guided tours and walks as well as other attractions to see and visit at each destination.

Live music and street food cooked up by Taste Radol’ca restaurants. The first concert kicks off at 8pm this Thursday 4th July, and thereafter for the following five Thursdays. Come on down to Linhart Square – the heart of Radovljica’s historic old town centre – to listen to music by: 4th July ‘Elevators‘; 11th July ‘Like the Rolling Stones‘; 18th July ‘Fadeouts‘; 25th July ‘Okustični‘, 1st August ‘Mrfy‘; 8th August ‘Maya Keuc/Amaya‘.

This Saturday 6th July be sure to visit the village of Kropa to find out more about the cradle of Slovenia’s iron forging industry.

Kropa Iron Forging Museum

Kropa sits nestled into the far eastern edge of the Jelovica plateau and is crammed with interesting sights and preserved technical heritage and architecture.

There are demonstrations of hand forging of nails in the Vigenjc Vice Foundry, a small local craft market, old-time bikes, open days at the Iron Forging Museum and the Fovšaritnica Museum House, as well as at the headquarters of the company UKO Kropa, which specialises in all manner of wrought iron furnishings and fittings and is keeping the village’s iron-forging tradition alive.

Sunday 28th July from 10am – 7pm: a medieval fair featuring dance and street shows and stalls laden with local crafts – ideal for buying gifts/souvenirs for friends and family (or treat yourself!) – which is also the opening event of the Radovljica Festival. It takes place in Linhart Square in the heart of Radovljica’s old town centre

The popular festival of early music has been held in summer in Radovljica for 35 years. It boasts a diverse programme of classical concerts and workshops featuring musicians from far and wide. The festival takes place in the Radovljica Manor and St. Peter’s church.

The tourist Hop-On Hop-Off bus runs throughout July and August. It’s a great way to discover the villages and countryside of the Radol’ca area. In addition to the ride, there are guided tours and walks as well as other attractions to see and visit at each destination.

Pay just once and you can ride all day! Tickets cost €8 for adults, and children under the age of 10 can ride free of charge.

On Wednesdays you can ride on the Bee Our Guest route, where you will visit Kralov med Beekeeping, the Anton Janša Memorial Apiary, the Lesce Beekeeping Centre and the Apicultural Museum in Radovljica.

Anton Janša’s apiary in Breznica

Thursday’s route is Tales from the Countryside, which includes visits to France Prešeren’s birth house in Vrba, Begunje na Gorenjskem, Mošnje, Brezje and Radovljica.

Vrba, home to a monument to, and birth house of, France Prešeren

And on Friday’s you can journey along the Panoramic Road to Tržič, which includes a visit to Kamen Castle, Tržič and the Dovžan Gorge.

The old town centre of Tržič

So, as you can see, there’s plenty going on, and these are only the main events, there are numerous others too. And I haven’t even space to write about all the fab hiking and cycling trails, restaurants, and other cultural and natural attractions to visit. Oh well, you can always read back over the hundreds of blog posts I have written extolling the virtues of Radol’ca in the past, and/or continue to follow my blog to read about more adventures in the future!

The Roblekov dom mountain hut on Mt. Begunščica in the Karavanke mountains has just been announced as the winner of the title ‘Best Mountain Hut 2017’.

Photo: Jani Kolman

The competition was contested by 72 out of the 181 mountain huts (including bivouacs and shelters) in Slovenia, and of the 70,000+ votes cast by the public, Roblekov dom was this year’s clear winner.

There are numerous reasons why Roblekov dom is such a well-known and popular destination for hikers from all over Slovenia – not least due to the popular song, which surely almost every Slovene knows by heart, ‘Na Roblek bom odsel’(I’m going to Roblek), written and performed by the legend of Slovenian folk music, Slavko Avsenik. Watch and listen here!

These days the song is still performed by the hugely popular Avsenik Ensemble, from Begunje na Gorenjskem.

The Roblekov dom hut has long been a popular destination and now, with the new caretaker managers – Zdenka and Rok Podpečan, who took over the running of the hut last year and assure visitors a warm welcome regardless of the weather – the hut has now become even more popular and they have added a few of their own new touches, too!

For many, myself included, the fact that you can’t reach the hut by car is a major plus i.e. you have to hike up to earn your view and/or tasty treat, making it all the more rewarding, not to mention peaceful and pollution-free.

Roblekov dom is accessible year-round, and is actually probably even more popular during winter than in summer. I love hiking up there in winter to enjoy some winter sun, often finding myself above the cloud that is lingering above the valley.

Even when there is A LOT of snow, you might find me (somewhere!) up there!

Even though I don’t like snow, I will make an exception to visit Roblek dom on a sunny winter’s day!

The most usual place to begin a hike to Roblekov dom is from the Draga valley, which is reached through the village of Begunje na Gorenjskem, and is home to the impressive ruins of the mighty Kamen Castle. You can either take the direct route up or take the Shepherd’s Trail to Preval then the path ‘čez Roža’ to reach the hut. Note, however, that during winter, when there is snow and/or ice, it isn’t advisable to attempt the Shepherd’s Trail. More about the Shepherd’s Trail can be found here – http://www.radolca.si/en/shepherds-trail-begunje/

Photo: Miran Kambić

Roblekov dom is open year-round; daily during the summer months and at weekends only throughout the remainder of the year, as well as on public holidays.

So, don’t delay, visit today, and find out for yourself why Roblekov dom has been voted Slovenia’s best mountain hut!

Summer is well and truly here – hooray! And with it come numerous fairs, festivals and other outdoors events, as well as myriad opportunities for hiking, cycling, swimming and enjoying the great outdoors.

I had a pretty active weekend myself. On Saturday I went by bike from Radovljica to Bohinjska Bela, the other side of Bled, from where I then hiked up to Galetovec, beginning at the climbing area by the Iglica waterfall. You can read more about hiking to Galetovec in this previous post – http://bit.ly/1HHmigK

On Sunday I went by bike through the Radovna valley, which is always the place I head to bike when the heat is on as the cycle path leads mostly alongside the Radovna river and in the cool of the forest beneath the Mežakla and Pokljuka plateaus. I returned on the D2 cycle path from Mojstrana to Jesenice, and then by road back to Radovljica. You can read more about cycling in Radovna in this previous post – http://bit.ly/1NL6B9f

Other than that I was keeping cool in the shade of the forest, which isn’t hard to do when Slovenia is 60% covered by forest. I even got lucky and found my first mushrooms of the year which were delicious cooked up with chard from my vegetable plot!

On Saturday it was also the annual Blacksmiths Festival (Kovaški smaren) in the village of Kropa, the cradle of Slovene iron-forging. The village, which sits snugly at the far eastern edge of the Jelovica plateau, is crammed with interesting sights and architecture and preserved technical heritage which is showcased during the annual festival. There were demonstrations of hand forging of nails in the Vigenjc Vice Blacksmiths Museum, a small handicraft market, old-time bikes, open days at the Blacksmiths Museum and the Fovšaritnica Museum House, as well as at the headquarters of UKO Kropa, which is keeping the iron-forging tradition alive in Kropa and specialise in all manner of wrought iron furnishings and fittings.

Kropa is one of the destinations that can be visited on the Hop-On Hop-Off tourist bus which is now operating. The bus visits Kropa on Tuesdays on the route which also includes Bled, Radovljica and Kamna Gorica. As the name implies, you can get on and off the bus at the various place along the route and either wander at your own leisure or participate in one of the guided tours. The bus also runs on Thursdays additionally to Begunje and Brezje, and at weekends to Triglav National Park. More information can be found here – http://www.radolca.si/en/hop-on-hop-off-radolca/

The nation was saddened by the news of the death last week of the legendary Slavko Avsenik, the founder of Slovene national folk music. The music of the Avsenik brothers is popular worldwide, particularly in neighbouring European countries, but also farther afield. The family home, and venue for the Avsenik Festival, regular concerts, gallery and museum, is at Pr’Jožovcu in Begunje na Gorenjskem. To date they have produced over 1000 songs, which are now being performed by younger generations of the family, so there is no doubt that his music will live on forever.

This year, Carnival Saturday (Pustna sobota) also happened to fall on Valentine’s Day and Radovljica’s Carnival Dance (Pustni ples) took place at the Krek Hotel and Restaurant in Lesce. It is traditional to dress up in masks and costumes for pust, and the theme of this year’s dance was the music of the famous Avsenik Ensemble, from the nearby village of Begunje na Gorenjskem, since this year marks the 60th year since the issue of the hugely popular track ‘Na Golici’, which is also one of the most widely played. Since Avsenik have produced more than 1000 songs, attendees had a wide range of songs and lyrics to allow them to get creative with their costumes. Perhaps some of the best known songs, in this area at least, are ‘Na Robleku’ and ‘NaGolici‘ – named after two peaks in the Karavanke mountains which are popular destinations with hikers.

The music of the Avsenik Brothers is actually a world-wide phenomenon; it is particularly popular in Slovenia and neighbouring European countries, but is also known in the USA and even further afield, and their music has won countless awards. The home of Slovene popular folk music is at the birthplace of its founders, Slavko and Vilko Avsenik, at Pr’Jožovcu in Begunje. It is regularly visited by coach loads of fans of their music and the restaurant hosts regular music performances by the Avsenik House Ensemble, as well as workshops, festivals, competitions and other events. There is also a gallery and museum, music school, and guest accommodation. If you are visiting the Radol’ca area, then a visit isn’t complete without popping in to see, listen to, or even dance to, a bit of Avsenik!

The main day of pust is pustni torek (Shrove Tuesday) when, wherever you are in Slovenia you could be forgiven for thinking it is Halloween as children go to school dressed up as all kinds of ghosts and gouls, and some can be seen going from door-to-door trick-or-treating. However, there is actually a point to pust; to help drive winter away by scaring it with various costumes and masks. So, despite not being one inclined to fancy dress, masks etc., I am more than happy to join in and help drive winter away!

All the different regions of Slovenia have their own pust traditions, customs and characters. Among the most known are the ‘kurenti‘ from Ptuj (seen below left), where the country’s largest carnival takes place, with celebrations lasting a whole 2 weeks, and also the ‘laufarije‘ from Cerklje (below right). I think they look frightening enough to shoo-off winter!

After 4 long weeks, and following an x-ray last Tuesday I was finally free of my immobilising shoulder immobilser last week and what a relief it was. To be able to quickly and easily get dressed and have a shower, do up my shoelaces etc. I, of course, wasted no time on my mission to regain my fitness and on Wednesday morning I was already up and out at 7am and at the mountain hut Roblekov domin record time! Well, you didn’t expect any less did you?!

Oh and I should just add, here in Slovenia we eat doughnuts for Shrove Tuesday, instead of pancakes. I will, of course, oblige!

I wish I could begin this post by writing about the glorious summer we are enjoying, and to be able to write about all the outdoor activities I have been enjoying. Alas, the weather has other ideas. Last week, and this week so far, it has been anything but summer, except for a brief spell on Sunday afternoon when we had a faint whiff of summer. Otherwise it continues to be unseasonably cool, cloudy and wet. To be fair, its not as if its raining all day every day, but the lingering low cloud and threatening skies make it difficult to plan straying too far from home and last week I got drenched more times than I care to remember! However, I can at least be the bearer of some good news – all is not lost – because now the music festival season is starting and there’s something for everyone, whatever your preferred taste in music – and the concerts take place come rain or shine!

The 32nd Radovljica Festival, organised by the Radovljica Early Music Society, takes place this year from the 9th – 24th August. The programme includes 10 concerts, performed by international artists, with music from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. The majority of the concerts take place in the Radovljica Manor, the building which dominates the old town centre (as seen below), whilst one of the concerts takes place at the Church of the Annunciation in Velesovo. Free buses to all concerts are available from Ljubljana and Kranj and also a free bus from Radovljica to the concert in Velesovo. More information about the festival can be found here – http://www.festival-radovljica.si/en/

Meanwhile, in Bled, the 24th Okarina Etno Festival begins on 1st August. This ever popular festival sees groups from far and wide coming to perform in the beautiful setting of BledCastle and the Spa Park. This year’s line up includes acts from as far away as Senegal, Venezuela and Burkina Faso. Concerts are free to attend. More information can be found here – http://www.festival-okarina.si/

Just a few kilometres away, the village of Begunje is home to the legendary Slavko Avsenik, the forefather of Slovene national folk music. The Avsenik brothers ensemble was first formed in 1953 and has since produced over 1,000 songs which are hits with audiences not only from Slovenia but also from far and wide. Nowadays its a real family affair with three generations of the family being involved and people arrive in their coach loads to visit. Avsenik comprises a gallery and museum, a restaurant with accommodation and where regular live shows are performed (dancing isn’t mandatory but it is encouraged and part of the fun!) and a music school. Additionally, the annual three-day Avsenik Festival, held in August, regularly attracts visitors in their thousands. More about Avsenik and this year’s festival can be found here – http://www.avsenik.com/pcc.asp#xpath=/novice#xpathid=#lang=eng

This Sunday is one of Radovljica’s main summer events – the annual Medieval Day. I always look forward to this event as its so nice to see Linhart Square in the old town centre really come to life and be able to get a sense of how it was in days of old. Events run throughout the day from 10am – 7pm and there is always plenty going on including theatrical performances, music and dance, a market, traditional arts and crafts demonstrations, and an archery tournament. Hope to see you there!

And finally, according to scientists in a report out this week, due to climate change we will all be basking in the sun and still swimming come November. Since there is often already snow here by then, I sincerely doubt it, but I would love to be proved wrong!!!